The rules of the Tea Art are numerous. Xu Chang’an had prepared everything in advance while preparing the tea, including the water temperature, heating the cup, and washing the tea, with meticulous attention to detail.
Serving Yun Qian tea for the first time, Xu Chang’an set aside all distractions, performing each step seamlessly. From measuring the tea and whisking it, to pouring it into the cup, his movements were exceptionally smooth and combined with his appearance, Yun Qian found herself momentarily entranced.
She didn’t understand the rules of tea, just as she didn’t understand the "Dao", but the focused movements of Xu Chang’an were an exceedingly beautiful scene to her.
Soon, the tea in the white jade-like porcelain cup appeared clear and crimson, complementing the white cup and pleasing the eye.
"I’ve filtered out some of the tea’s alkali, so it shouldn’t cause you to get inebriated too quickly," Xu Chang’an said, holding the cup with both hands, lifting it to his brow level, and calmly addressing Yun Qian: "Miss, please."
He originally wanted to call her "my lady", but to make Yun Qian feel more natural and not disrupt the current atmosphere, he did not say it aloud.
Yun Qian received the cup, sniffed the aroma of the tea, which carried a rich, authentic, and gentle scent of tea leaves.
It seemed neither good nor bad.
However, witnessing Xu Chang’an’s focused actions made her feel that the aroma of the tea was intoxicating.
Guided by Xu Chang’an, Yun Qian adjusted her posture, supporting the cup with her left hand while pressing down the front edge of the cup cover with her right hand, allowing the rear edge to lift.
"Careful, it’s hot," Xu Chang’an reminded softly.
"Mm." Yun Qian took two sips of the tea, then set the cup down and raised her eyes to meet Xu Chang’an’s clear gaze.
"How does it taste?" Xu Chang’an asked.
"The taste..." Yun Qian swallowed the tea, saying, "It doesn’t really have much flavor, like clear water."
She was referring to the flavor of the tea, not the subtle spiritual power Xu Chang’an infused in the water.
Following Yun Qian’s words, Xu Chang’an smiled, "This is exactly right, it’s tea that I’ve washed with spiritual power."
When pouring the tea, he used spiritual power as a filter to remove things in the tea leaves that might cause Yun Qian to get inebriated, of course, making it not taste very good. Moreover, Small Mountain Tea is bitter, and Yun Qian can’t handle...
"Why wash it with spiritual power?" Yun Qian asked.
"Miss hasn’t quite gotten over tea inebriation yet," Xu Chang’an poured himself a cup of the original flavor, after sipping it slightly, he felt a soft texture, with initial bitterness followed by a gentle sweetness.
He said helplessly, "And also... it’s the first time I’m serving you tea, I don’t want to hear the words ’tastes bad’ from your mouth."
Now it’s like clear water; if he gave her the original bitter tea, it would indeed taste bad.
He couldn’t bear to hear Yun Qian say that his cooking was unpalatable.
"It might not necessarily taste bad," Yun Qian looked at Xu Chang’an’s curved lips and asked, "Do you often drink tea?"
"Sort of." Xu Chang’an nodded.
The taste of tea consists of the tea leaves and the water.
"Tea embodies the spirit of water, while water manifests the body of tea." Xu Chang’an said plainly and steadily, "Miss, you are my water."
He managed to transform from someone of no peculiar talents into how he is today because of Yun Qian, much like tea leaves revealing their best flavors when soaked in water.
It was Yun Qian who has always nourished him.
Xu Chang’an tried to be more proactive to share some intimate words with Yun Qian, but not knowing how, he could only come up with this sentence.
He regretted it after speaking.
How could one liken a young lady to water, so plain and flavorless?
But calling Miss Yun "green tea"... that sounds just as odd.
Yun Qian isn’t water; he, the one with a Water Attribute talent, is the water.
"I am water?" Yun Qian blinked. "Indeed, the books say that women are made of water."
After a pause, she continued, "But when you say I am water... what do you mean? Is it to say you like me?"
Xu Chang’an’s eye twitched, looking at the girl before him who seemed calmly indifferent, as if not knowing what shyness is, and nodded.
"Then speak directly, if you beat around the bush... sometimes I cannot understand," Yun Qian reminded Xu Chang’an.
Xu Chang’an sighed and asked, "Since you’ve had the tea, how do you feel?"
"The tea does not invoke feelings," Yun Qian said.
"Is there any discomfort? Nausea or such?"
Yun Qian thought, drinking his tea, how could it make her nauseous.
Xu Chang’an checked and found indeed there was no acceleration in her heartbeat, and he was relieved.
Cultivation truly does work.
"...Miss, I have a way to make the tea taste good, would you like to try?" Xu Chang’an suddenly said.
Yun Qian gave Xu Chang’an a curious glance, feeling he was quite proactive today, but still said, "I’d like to try."
Then Xu Chang’an walked to the cabinet, took out some sugar frost and poured it with a "whoosh" into the Small Mountain Tea teapot, shook it slightly, and poured Yun Qian a cup.
Yun Qian took a sip and then nodded, "This time it tastes much better."
Xu Chang’an held his forehead, unable to suppress the smile on his face.
As expected, Miss Yun is a simple person.
Matters like tea that require pondering... better not to deal with them in the future, drinking wine is much more straightforward.
At that moment, the sky suddenly turned dark, as if something obscured the only source of light in the sky, the entire Chaoyun Sect became gloomy. Raindrops fell into the streams and ponds, creating ripples.
The rain drizzled continuously, forming tiny splashes on the window lattice.
"It’s raining again." Xu Chang’an looked toward the window helplessly, "What’s happening in the sect."
"I’m in a good mood." Listening to the sound of the rain, Yun Qian felt as if the scenery around her slowed down, mingling with the moist air; she could sense the young man behind her’s slight breaths, causing a slight stir in her heart.
She was someone capricious, sometimes she liked the rain, other times she did not.
"Miss indeed seems to like rainy days." Xu Chang’an supposed it might be because Yun Qian had a weak constitution and couldn’t go out on rainy days, so she liked them.
Yun Qian set down the tea cup, lifted her hand to remove her hairpin, loosened the ribbon, and suddenly her long hair cascaded down.
"Tired again?" Xu Chang’an asked.
"Just want to lie down a bit," Yun Qian looked at him, "You’ll owe me a lap pillow."
"Understood." Xu Chang’an shifted back a few steps, allowing Yun Qian to rest her head on his lap.
"Rest if you’re tired, I’ll wake you when it’s time," Xu Chang’an said.
"I’m not sleepy, I just want to lie down for a while," Yun Qian listened to the rain outside, feeling her face was hot, thus saying, "Am I somewhat inebriated."
Xu Chang’an gently placed his finger against Yun Qian’s neck, lowered his head, and looked closely at Yun Qian’s face, then said, "Actually, I’m a bit inebriated myself."
Wine does not intoxicate.
"Miss, I can be proactive and straightforward," Xu Chang’an lowered his head.
Listening to Xu Chang’an’s words, Yun Qian blinked, but soon her pupils slightly constricted.
The wind outside masked the faint sounds.
After a moment, Yun Qian touched her cheek and asked, "Why the face?"
"I’ve tasted rouge as well."